Moroccan police arrested on Friday three people with suspected links to the Islamic State (IS) in the northern city of Tetouan, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement.

The suspects had been planning to carry out terrorist attacks against sensitive sites in Morocco by using remote controlled explosives, the statement said, adding that they were also planning to assassinate security officials.

Investigations revealed that the leader of this cell has developed skills on making remote controlled explosives, and started, along with his partners, to buy materials used in manufacturing explosives.

According to the ministry, the police seized electronic equipment and devices likely to be used in remote detonation systems.

The north African kingdom has seen a growing threat from terror groups, especially IS.

According to official figures, Morocco busted 19 terrorist cells and arrested 273 suspects in 2016, most of them linked to the IS group.

Source: Xinhua